Harpoon or TASM?

[Kapitan]

I only use TASM on dumb blind targets like the perrys (well russian equivelent) and other such vessels but even once fired ive got to make on heck of a quick get away because the helos will be right on my back within minuets of launch.

[Sub Sailor]

The Navy quit carrying TASMS on the boats, and as far as I know they were all converted to TLAMS. So for realism I use torpedoes or Harpoons.

Ron Banks MMCM(SS), USN(Ret)

[Dr.Sid]

Harpoon is faster. TASM is bigger. For sinking carrier damaged with torpedoes, or to hit unarmed targets, TLAM is good and faster then torpedo. For hitting those small funky patrol boats, Harpoon does just fine too.

To hit carrier group with missiles ? Very hard even with supersonic Russian stuff. But the ships will react. Move away. That can expose the carrier to torpedoes. But torpedoes can do that too.
Sometimes you can also get into shower of surface launched rocket torpedoes. Torpedo is pretty slow answer. Missile will make the target to main it's own business for a moment.

Against human opponents you better load torpedo and be very very smart.

Sometimes you can also use Harpoons from nearby friendly destroyer .. just post target to the link with enemy surface high confidence, and they will attack. And destroyers can send really a lot's of missiles at once.

[Sea Demon]

Originally Posted by Dr.Sid

And destroyers can send really a lot's of missiles at once.

My Seawolf can send just as many Harpoons as an Arleigh Burke at once.

Seriously though, I prefer the TASM for bigger ships, Harpoons for the smaller ships. They fly similar profiles and speeds, so for me it's a matter of what I want to destroy. Like Dr. Sid says in the post above, Harpoon is faster, TASM is bigger. While I have found ways to make these slower subsonic anti-ship missiles more effective, your best bet is like some have said above. The MK48 ADCAP seems to be the most efficient and effective way of eliminating enemy surface ships.

With Anti-ship missiles....the more the merrier. Large Salvos are the only way to go. Saturation of defenses if you will. You must think "Will this salvo saturate the targets defenses?". In that regard the 688(I) with 12 TASM's in the VLS and 4 missiles in the tubes will give you a large salvo opportunity against a well defended warship. Not a 100% guarantee of a hit mind you, but indeed gives you a good chance to hit it, if not outright destroy it. This goes for Akula as well because the Tico's and AB's defenses are very difficult to get through. I think with the Russian supersonics, you have to be smart where you enable them. I've found that enabling them at different ranges has been helpful. Some earlier then others. The Kilo just doesn't launch enough Club's to be very successful against major blue OPFOR vessels.

[Dr.Sid]

There is also this problem with salvos:

1) send one by one - they will get downed by missiles ans CIWS
2) send all at once - they can all get fooled by single chaff cloud

So you must do something between .. 2 at once at least .. but not more then 4 at once. It really depends on the situation. You never really know. With torpedoes, it's simple.

[Molon Labe]

LW/Ami: Both the TASM and Harpoon have 510 kts listed as their speed in the DB. They both call on the same doctrine, so that should mean they fly the same profile. Besides range and warhead size, the only difference is that the Harpoon has a 20 point advantage in passive sonar SL and a 5 point advantage in RCS. I've never seen the RCS difference have an effect in the sim, but maybe it's time to look into that further.....

Stock: The TASM has a very small turn radius advantage. Otherwise, besides having longer range and a larger warhead, there is no difference between it and the Harpoon.

[Wolfhound]

So pretty much the only advantage of the harpoon over the TASM is that the harpoon has a (somewhat, heh) quieter launch?